Foldable chairs



July 31, 1956 A. SPRIGMAN 2,756,806

FOLDABLE CHAIRS Filed Jan. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 12 35 42"" 2' 4 I7[972 1 P (f 4- 7 7 5 42 Z9 76/ INVENTOR. 4077/0? s/w/a/yfiw BY ,g gagw;

United States Patent FOLDABLE CHAIRS Arthur Sprigman, New York, N. Y.

Application January 14, 1955, Serial No. 481,727

10 Claims. (Cl. 155-448) This invention relates to folding chairs, andmore particularly to a type which can be readily produced fromlightweight metal, such as aluminum or Duralumin and can be collapsedand folded to an extent to permit complete portability while occupyingrelatively little space.

The fact is appreciated that collapsible and foldable chairs have beenheretofore made, but in most instances the extent to which the chairshave collapsed and folded has been relatively small, with the resultthat the folded chair was often found lengthy, cumbersome and bulky totransport as well as difiicult to store in small spaces such as anautomobile. Often also the chairs of known construction were not ofsufllcient lasting strength.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a foldingchair which will not only be of light Weight but exceptionally rigid andwill be foldable and collapsible to such an extent as to greatly enhanceits portability while enabling the chair to be stored in very smallspace.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a chair in which thehingedly-connected elements are so arranged that substantialreinforcement at, and adjacent to the hinge points will be provided; inwhich adjustability for the back of the chair and arms therefor will bepresent, and in which locking means for preventing inadvertent foldingmovement of parts of the seat will be employed to result in a sturdy,rigid seat.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I havedevised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

Fig. l is a top plan view of a chair made according to the invention,certain parts thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the chair in a partly foldedcondition;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational View of a portion of the seat frame andone of the legs;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 66 of Fig.5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig.4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of one of the armrests showing how the same engages with one of the arm supports;

Fig. 9 shows the chair in its folded or collapsed condition ready forcarrying;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view through the chair frame and thefabric covering forming the chair seat, and

Fig. 11 is a side view of the chair with the upper cross member of theback and a portion of the fabric shown in section.

2,756,8llfi Patented July 31, 1956 ice The chair includes asubstantially rectangular seat frame generally indicated at 1, and whichconsists of two similar front and rear bars respectively indicated at 2and 3, and two side bars respectively indicated at 4 and 5. Each of thefront and rear bars 2 and 3 consists of a substantially channel-shapedmember composed of aluminum or other suitable strong, but light, metal.Each of the side bars 4 and 5 is composed of two pivotally-connectedsections 6 and 7, which sections are hingedly connected, as shown at 8by a hinge having a vertical pivot and which permits the sections toswing inwardly when desired, as shown in Fig. 2. As will be seen in Fig.3, the section 6 is provided at one end with a reduced portion 9 whichfits within the channel of the bar section 7 when the chair is in itsopen position, thus producing an overlap at the pivot and strengtheningthe joint between the two sections 6 and 7. The end of the reducedportion 9 is formed with the ears 11 which prevent the pivotal movementof the two sections 6 and 7 in an outward direction, but permit the sameto pivot inwardly as shown in Fig. 2, when it is desired to collapse orfold the chair.

At each corner of the rectangular frame that constitutes the seat frameof the chair, is provided a channel-shaped corner bracket. The bracketsat the front of the chair seat frame are indicated at 11, while those atthe rear thereof are shown at 12. A pivot pin 13 extends through each ofthe brackets 11 and passes through the sections 6 of the side bars 4 and5 and also passes through the front bar 2. Spacing washers 14 areemployed on the pin 13 between the meeting parts to permit of easypivotal movement of the bars through which the pin passes.

Each of the rear brackets 12 is provided with a pivot pin 15 whichextends through the bar sections 7 of the side bars 4 and 5, and alsopasses through the rear bar 3. Washers 14 are also provided on thesepins for the purpose above mentioned. Also pivotally mounted at the topof each of the pins 15 is a U-shaped bracket 16, and pivotally mountedon the pin or rivet 18 in the bracket 16 is the lower end of one of thetubular back frame members 17. The brackets 16, being pivotally mountedon the pins 15, and the back frame members being pivotal on the pins orrivets 13, provide a universal pivotal movement for the back framemembers 17 so that the same may be folded down on the seat frame whenthe chair is collapsed to facilitate the formation of the chair into arelatively small and compact parcel such as shown in Fig. 9, for veryeasy storage or carriage.

When the chair is in its erected position, as shown in Fig. 11, theupper ends of the two back frame members 17 are connected by a U-shapedtubular cross piece 19 which has reduced diameterends 20 tightly, butremovably, fitted into the upper ends of the two back frame members 17,said members being tubular and hence receiving the reduced end portions20 of the cross piece 19.

Secured on the lower end of each of the pivot pins 15 is a spring clip21 into which the reduced end portions 20 of the cross piece 19 arefitted when the cross piece is detached from the back frame members 17and when the chair is in its collapsed condition. These clips thus holdthe cross-piece of the chair only when the chair is in such collapsedcondition, and being inoperative when the chair is erected, as will beapparent from Fig. 11.

The four legs on which the chair is supported are shown at 22, each ofsaid legs being provided at its lower end with the rubber tip 23. At itsopposite end each leg is pivoted on pin 24 in one of the brackets 11 orbrackets 12. Outward pivotal movement of each leg 22 is restricted byits contact with the flange 25 on the bracket on which the leg ispivoted, and inward pivotal movement is normally restrained by a detent26 formed in the vertical portion of each of the brackets in which thelegs are pivoted. This arrangement is such that when the legs areagrsasoe extended to supporting position, as shown in Figs. 3, 10 and11, the legs splay outwardly to a slight extent, but may be readilyfolded inwardly to lie adjacent to the seat frame, so that when desired,the chair may be used as a legless chair with the seat frame supporteddirectly on the ground or on the beach, rather than supported by thelegs.

Secured in each of the side bar sections 6 is a box reinforcement 27,and a pivot bolt 28 extends through the side bar section 6 as well asthrough the reinforcement 27. Pivotally mounted upon the pivot bolt 28is an arm sup-- port or post 29 which is preferably composed ofchannelshaped stock and has one of its flanges extended, as indicated at39, to form a lug for entry into a slot 31 provided in the lower flange32 of the reinforcement 27. This arrangement serves to hold the armsupport or post 29 securely in its vertical position until it is desiredto fold it downwardly for the collapse of the chair, as shown in Fig. 2.This lock also serves to hold the side bar sections 6 and '7 againstinward fold upon the hinge 8 until the posts 29 are deliberately foldeddown.

At its upper end, each of the arm supports or posts 29 is formed withoutwardly-extended ears 33 which fit within the channel 34 of one of thearms 35 of the chair. As will be seen in Fig. 11, each of the two arms35 is pivoted at 36 in a collar 37 fixed by the pin 38 around one of theback frame members 17. Adjacent to its forward end, each of the arms 35is channeled as indicated at 34-, which channel portion is formed at itslower end with a plurality of inwardly-extended spaced-apart lugs 39.Adjacent to the forward end of each of the arms, the lugs 39 are widelyspaced apart as indicated at 41, which spacing 41 is suflicient toenable the arm support or post 29 to pass between the lugs 39 andposition the cars 33 thereon above the lugs 39.

Located below the ears 33 on the arm support 29 is a pair of detents 4-2arranged to fit between the lugs 39 and normally hold the arm 35 againstlongitudinal sliding movement along the top of the support 29 relativelyto said support. This is shown in Pig. 8. The arrangement of the chairarms and their relationship to the supports or posts 29 is such that bythe construction described, the back of the chair may be positioned andmaintained at a desired or selected angle relative to the seat. Incoupling the arms 35 to the supports or posts 29, the arms are firstbrought down upon the upright supports 29, and the cars 33 are passedthrough the spaces ll on the arms until the ears 33 are positioned abovethe lugs 39 on the arms. The arms 35' may now he slid alonglongitudinally on the tops of the supports or posts 29 until the desiredinclinatic-n of the back is secured. The detents 42, positioned in anyone of the spaces between the lugs 39 will hold the arms againstrearward shifting movement and retain the back in any selected angularposition.

The seat and back of the chair is preferably composed of a lengthy strip59 of canvas or other suitable strong textile or other fabric. As willbe seen in Fig. 10, the fabric strip is looped around the front and rearmembers 2 and 3 of the seat frame to form a double-thickness seat 53,and then extended upwardly as shown at Sl to form the back of the chair.At its upper end, the fabric strip ft is looped around the cross piece19 as indicated at 52, (Fig. 11), the fabric strip remaining attached tosaid cross piece.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the chair will bereadily apparent. in its open position, the chair appears as shown inFigs. 1, 3, l0 and 11. In this position, the arm supports or posts 29are vertically disposed and extend upwardly from the side bar sec tions6. and the lug portions 3d are entered in the slots 31 so that the armsupports or posts 25 are thus held against inadvertent downward foldingmovement in a direction toward the back of the chair. The arms 35 areengaged with the upper ends of the supports 29' as previously describedand as shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 8 so that the back of the chair issecurely supported at the desired angle of inclination for eithersitting upright or reclining in a number of angular positions.

When it is desired to collapse the chair for transportation or storage,the legs 22 are folded upwardly on their pivots 24 and the side bars 4and 5 folded inwardly on their pivots 8 after the arms have beendetached from the supports 29 and said supports have been folded down ontop of the side bar sections 6 to the positions shown in Fig. 2. Whenthe side bars 4 and 5 are folded inwardly as above described, they willbring the front and rear bars 2 and 3 toward one another and thecollapsed or folded side bars will then fit within the loop portions 53of the seat fabric. The cross piece 19 is detached from the upper endsof the back frame members 17, and these members may be swung on theuniversal pivots 15, 18 to position them down against the collapsed seatframe 1. The back portion 51 of the fabric strip Si? is now wrappedaround the folded seat frame, arms, legs and arm supports until thereduced ends 23 on the cross piece lid can be fitted into the clips 21to thereby produce the compact arrangement of the collapsed chair, asshown in Fig. 9. In this collapsed form, the chair can be easily carriedor stowed away in small space in an automobile. Since all of the metalparts of the chair may be made of aluminum or other lightweight metal,the chair will be of very light weight and easily carried whether openor in its collapsed, compacted condition. When erected the chair is astrong, rigid structure.

Having described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obviousthat the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough tocover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A foldable chair having a seat frame composed of front and rear barsconnected by side bars, each of the side bars being composed of twosections joined by a vertical pivot whereby the two side bars arecollapsible centrally to bring the front and rear bars toward oneanother, an arm support pivoted adjacent to the pivot of each side bar,locking means operative when the arm supports are in an erect positionto prevent collapsing pivotal movement of the side bars, a backpivotally mounted adjacent to the rear of the seat frame, arms pivotallyattached to the back, and selective interengaging means on the arms andarm supports to thereby determine the inclination of the back.

2. In a foldable chair, a seat frame, a back attached to the same, armspivoted at one end to the back, arm supports attached to the seat frameand extending vertically upwardly from the same for engagement with thearms, the seat frame including two-part side bars, the parts thereofbeing pivotally connected and permitting inward collapse of the sidebars, and locking means of which portions of the arm supports form apart, for preventing inward collapse of the side bars.

3. In a foldable chair, a seat frame, legs pivotally mounted at thecorners of the frame, the frame including a pair of side bars, each barbeing composed of two sections pivotally connected at the center of thebar, the bar being collapsible on said pivot, whereby the two bars maybe collapsed inwardly and toward one another, the frame including frontand rear bars extending between the collapsible side bars and whichfront and rear bars are brought toward one another upon collapsingmovement of the side bars, arm supports carried by the side bars, a backpivotally mounted on the frame, arms pivoted at one end to the back andhaving their other ends adjustably engaging the arm supports, said armsupports being pivoted at their lower ends, and locking means adjacentto the lower ends of the arm supports for preventing collapsing movementof the side bars.

4. A foldable chair having a seat frame composed of front and rear barsconnected by collapsible side bars, said side bars being collapsible oncentral vertical pivots, arm supports pivoted to one section of each ofthe side bars, said arm supports having lock elements for holding theside bars against collapsible movement, a back, armrests pivotedthereon, and means for detachably engaging the forward ends of the armrests with the upper end portions of the arm supports when said armsupports are disposed in erect position.

5. A foldable chair having a rectangular seat frame composed of frontand rear bars and side bars connecting the same, the side bars eachbeing composed of two pivotally-connected sections whereby said sidebars can be collapsed inwardly on their pivots to thereby bring thefront and rear bars toward one another, an arm support having one endpivoted to one of the sections of each side bar, a back composed of apair of rods connected at the top by a removable cross-piece, said rodshaving their lower ends pivotally attached at one end to each of therods, the arms being adjustably connected at their forward ends to thetops of the arm supports.

6. In a foldable chair as provided for in claim 5, including a strip offabric extended around the seat frame in loop formation to form a seatof double thickness, the strip being extended upwardly from the seat toform a back for the chair, the upper end of said strip being loopedabout the cross piece.

,7. In a foldable chair, a seat frame composed of a plurality ofpivotally-connected bars, some of said bars being composed ofinwardly-pivotal connected sections, legs pivotally mounted on the barsand foldable to either vertical position or to a position to lieadjacent and substantially parallel to the seat frame bars, a back frameconsisting of a pair of tubular rods extending upwardly from the seatframe, said bars having their lower ends pivotally attached to the seatframe, the rods being connected at the top by a removable cross piece,arms pivotally attached at one end to the rods, arm supports pivotallyattached to the seat frame and normally extending vertically andupwardly therefrom, interengaging detachable means for adjustablycoupling together the arms and the upper ends of the arm supports, and afabric strip looped around the seat frame and forming a doublethicknessseat thereon, said strip having an upwardlyextending portion forming aback for the chair, the end of said portion of the strip being loopedabout the crosspiece.

8. A collapsible chair comprising a seat frame composed of fourpivotally-connected bars, two of said bars being each composed of twohingedly-joined sections permitting said bars to be each inwardlycollapsed and the two sections of each bar brought together into meetingrelationship, the frame being rectangular and provided at each of itsfour corners with a pivoted leg movable to substantially verticalseat-supporting position, said legs being foldable on their pivots tolie adjacent to the bars of the seat frame, arm supports pivotallymounted on the collapsible bars of the seat frame, said arm supportsbeing foldable to either a vertical position or else to a downfoldedposition to lie adjacent to the respective bars on which they arepivotally mounted, back supports consisting of rods pivoted at theirlower ends at two of the pivots of the seat bars, arms pivotal at oneend to the back supports, said arms having free ends for selectiveengagement with the upper ends of the arm supports to thereby determinethe angle of inclination of the back supports, a cross-piece detachablyconnecting the upper ends of the back supports and a fabric panelattached to said cross-piece and connected to bars of the seat frame tothereby form a seat and back for the chair.

9. In a collapsible chair, a foldable rectangular seat frame, backsupports pivoted thereon, arm rests pivoted to the back supports, armrest supports pivoted to the frame and detachably and adjustablyengaging the arm rests, legs pivoted at their upper ends to the frame,said legs comprising two front legs and two rear legs, the two frontlegs being foldable toward one another and into overlapping relation atthe front of the seat frame, the two rear legs being similarly foldableat the rear of the seat frame and to overlapping position, the seatbeing capable of flatwise support upon the ground without interferencefrom the folded legs.

10. In a foldable chair, a foldable seat frame, legs pivotally mountedat the corners of the frame, arm supports pivoted on the frame andmovable to either a vertical position with respect to the frame or to aposition substantially parallel to the plane of the frame, a back framehaving side members pivotally mounted on the frame, arms pivoted at oneend to the side members of the back frame, said arms having means fordetachably and adjustably engaging the upper ends of the arm supports, across-piece detachably secured between the side members of the backframe, and clips provided at the bottom of the seat frame to receiveparts of the crosspiece when the chair is in a collapsed condition.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent318,368 Gitt May 19, 1885 383,058 Kree May 15, 1888 1,188,499 SimmonsJune 27, 1916 1,939,568 Panhorst Dec. 12, 1933 2,071,084 Nolan Feb. 16,1937

